Congress Passes Spending Bill To Avoid Another Government Shutdown

The measure includes $1.375 billion in funding for barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border.

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Both chambers of Congress have now approved a spending bill that would fund the Department of Homeland Security and avoid another partial government shutdown.

Lawmakers introduced the measure late Wednesday night. Among other things, the more than 1,000-page bill includes $1.375 billion in funding for barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border. That's about $4.3 billion less than President Donald Trump has demanded for the border wall.

The bill says the money can be used to fund 55 miles of a physical barrier using "existing technologies." That means a concrete wall, like President Trump has pushed for, is off the table, though he's previously mentioned he'd be okay with using steel.

Earlier this week, the president indicated he wasn't happy with the legislation, but he also said he doesn't want to see the government shut down again.

"I think a point was made with the last shutdown — people realized how bad the border is; how unsafe the border is. And I think a lot of good points were made, but I don't want to see another one," President Trump told reporters.

But the timing to avoid triggering another shutdown is tight. Now that lawmakers in both the House and Senate have passed the measure, President Trump needs to sign it before midnight Friday.